Avoid The Lead! [[COMPLETED]]

14. The Crystal Lily!

.

Darkness.

Silence.

Stillness.

'Eh?' Celia looked around but could see and hear nothing.

'Isn't this the void after death?!'

'How?!'

'Did the mind spell fail?! Did I die in the process?!'

The absurd thought that she had accidentally killed herself in this life flashed through her mind, but she quickly dismissed it.

"I can't dwell on that right now!" She said, surprised to hear her own voice echo.

On reflection, this felt different from the void after death. In that place, she couldn't move or speak, and had no sense of form.

Here, she stood on her two feet, could walk and look around, and could even speak!

She cast a flame spell, but nothing happened. She tried a few other spells but couldn't even feel a spark of magic.

'Magic doesn't work here!'

"So I'm lost!" She couldn't smell anything, and the floor beneath her feet felt smoother than marble.

There was no way of knowing which direction to go or if she might walk off a high cliff!

Master Sylva may have been right. This spell was far too advanced for her age!

And without the spark of magic, how was she to cast the exit spell?!!

She tried going in on direction, gingerly sticking out a leg to make sure there was still ground before her.

Then she tried going back and in other directions.

Eventually, she flopped into a sitting position, a frustrated sigh escaping her lips.

What was she to do now?

It felt like minutes, then hours, and then days had gone by... She wasn't sure how much time had passed, and though she couldn't feel things like fatigue, sleepiness, hunger or thirst in here, a vanilla cake and hot tea would be nice to collect her thoughts!

'What thoughts?! I'm currently trapped in them!'

She was beginning to despair...

But then a green light suddenly flared, brightening the dark void!

'Eh?!' The light flared and vanished as quickly as it came, but she quickly ran in that direction.

She might be running towards danger, but it was better than the oppressive stillness around her.

She slowed to a halt in the darkness, unsure of what she waited for, but when the green light flared again, she ran toward it with a silly giggle.

And as it happened a few more times, she began to feel the rush of wind in her hair and ears and smell the crisp, fresh scent of nature.

Which is why she wasn't too surprised when she suddenly burst into bright daylight, standing in an unbelievably beautiful garden!

The garden was alive with vivid colors, and Celia could see almost every fruit and flower known in their realm.

"Wah!" She spun around in delight, admiring the sheer beauty of the place. But she froze when she heard:

"I'm glad you like it."

She swiveled in surprise and gasped to find a familiar face.

"T-Taze?!"

But the Taze look-alike cocked his head. "Is that my name? I don't know who I am. I've merely existed here, braving the harsh winters..."